1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the production of propylene oxide and especially to the work-up of propylene oxide production reaction mixtures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Propylene oxide is produced commercially by the chlorohydrin process and by the Oxirane hydroperoxide process.
In an effort to improve the economics of propylene oxide production, a substantial amount of research has been done in an effort to develop a direct oxidation process to propylene oxide which does not involve the use of chlorine or the coproduction of another volume product such as styrene or methyl tertiary butyl ether.
Promising results have been achieved by oxidation procedures with molecular oxygen carried out in a liquid reaction mixture using as catalyst a slurry of solid catalyst particles in an appropriate solvent. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,204B1, U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,259B1, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,555,493B2, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.